#implications of fire teehee

[crimson-rots]

an attempt to come to terms with it

[miasmaghoul]

Hi i have a gun. Please talk more about Swiss covered in blood 🔫

(please observe this post and my tags on it teehee)

warnings for blood, swiss being horny about the prospect of violence (and blood), blood and sweat licking, implications of future rough sex with blood as lube, blood spitting

There's an itch beneath his skin. Deep, burning, eating through sinuous muscle and right down to the bone. An urgency, an awful, aching need that demands something very specific. His blood's set to boil, chest heaving with every breath, heart slamming in time with the pounding drums filling his skull.

Calm down.

The words burst into his mind like fireworks, a rich growl that demands attention. Swiss' whole head twitches as he turns to face Mountain's kit, swaying in place. He's drooling, he can feel it dripping down his chin. Just like he can feel the sweat creeping down his spine. Mountain eyes him from behind his cymbals, whole body moving with the flow of his limbs.

I fuckin' can't.

Swiss bares his teeth when he fires it back, wishing he could run his tongue across sharp fangs instead. His glamour feels so impossibly oppressive when this urge strikes; the ache in his belly telling him to bare tooth and claw, to rip and tear and take -

Well I can smell you from here. Do something before you lose it.

Swiss flinches at the tone the words carry, even if they're only in his head. Mountain's eyes are so sharp behind his mask, demanding, and he doesn't spare Swiss another glance. Watching Rain climb up the center steps now instead while Swiss' insides start eating themselves. He wants to tear Mountain's throat out for it. He manages exactly one step forward.

Later.

A single word, but one that hits like a bus. Swiss sways on the spot.

...what?

You can rip my throat out later.

Mountain's reply is knowing, haughty. His eyes are back on Swiss now, and they glitter in the stage lights like precious gems brimming with mischief.

You think too loud sometimes, he taunts, and Copia will take the damage deposit out of your allowance.

Mountain winks, and just like that his attention is back on the drums.

The entire interaction lasts less than ten seconds, but it leaves Swiss breathless as a marathon. There's gray at the corners of his vision when he sinks to his knees, relishing the burn in his quads when he leans back. He feels drunk, swaying and shaky, every muscle in his torso gone taut in restraint. He chews the inside of his cheek, digs his nails into his palms. Little jolts of pain that shoot straight through him, raise goosebumps through the sweat.

It's not enough to answer the call rippling beneath his skin.

No matter how much he tries to hide his need in the unsubtle sensuality of his movements, it won't pass. Won't ebb or calm, a gnawing so deep in his chest that Swiss swears its about to cave in. He can taste Mountain between his teeth already, earthen iron that will sit heavy on his tongue long after he's feasted. He can picture the marks he'll leave on freckled skin, brutal and gouging and smeared in red.

"Fuck."

Swiss grunts it as he stands, still moving in time with music he doesn't hear. Can't, over the rush of his own blood. Blood. So much blood...

The light glints off Mountain's crash cymbal, off his mask beyond, and Swiss licks his lips.

He takes two steps back.

Mountain doesn't look at him.

He points at the other ghoul with a quivering finger, in case anyone watching had any doubt who his next action was meant for.

Mountain doesn't look at him.

Swiss shakes himself out, rolls his neck. Makes himself take a slow, deep breath. Narrows his focus as Dew and Aether fuck each other with every passing chord in the background. The shrieks of the crowd have long since faded beyond the tick of his earpiece and the ravenous hunger twisting his guts. His face splits into the most devious grin.

Still though, Mountain doesn't look, and oh Swiss burns.

He doesn't think twice before he steps forward, doesn't so much as pause when he draws his arm back on something like reflex.

The only thing more gratifying than the pain of striking that sonorous metal is the way Mountain jumps. Bounces on his stool like a startled little bunny rabbit, rhythm stuttering just enough for Swiss' cock to pulse with pride.

It takes a moment to feel the blood.

He blames being distracted by how wide Mountain's pupils had gone for his ignorance, but once the first droplet falls from his fingertip. Swiss raises his hand, at skin glistening with sweat and now something so much sweeter.

Mountain doesn't look away when Swiss lets his tongue loll out, flexing his fingers in the yellow light flooding the stage. It hides the ruby tint of the liquid trailing down his forearm - a real shame, if you were to ask Swiss. That is, if he had two brain cells left to rub together.

In fairness, Mountain doesn't seem to be faring much better.

Neither of them blink as the tip of Swiss' tongue meets the beaded end of one of those trails, and the taste makes his knees wobble. Iron, ash, sulfur and salt - if Swiss never tasted anything else again, he wouldn't complain. He licks a stripe up his arm, over the bump of his wrist, up to the fresh gash decorating the back of his hand. Every passing inch makes his breath come quicker, makes his mouth water, and Swiss can see the way Mountain's started chewing his lip. Swiss knows he must be hard as a rock just a couple feet away, so hot and filthy with effort that Swiss' balls ache at the thought of his scent alone.

Swiss presses the flat of his tongue to his wound at the same moment the light catches the cymbal again, and in the flash Swiss sees red speckled across the disc's surface. Decorating a drum head.

And, most importantly, two perfect droplets that landed square on Mountain's masked right cheek.

A brilliant series of images flare to life behind his eyes, then.

Of Mountain, ass up and drooling into red-stained sheets. Cheeks rich pink and streaked with tears as Swiss shoves three fingers inside, cock hanging heavy and already leaking onto the blanket below.

Of Swiss straddling him, nails raking down Mountain's back and digging into his hips to get him right where Swiss wants.

Of Swiss leaning down to sink his teeth into a muscled shoulder for a fresh mouthful of crimson ecstasy, while Mountain hisses and gasps and takes it.

Of Swiss seeing himself lean back to look down past his own bloodied chest to his throbbing length. Of trading his fingers for its fat head, nudging insistently against Mountain's woefully underprepared hole. Of his lips parting, of red streaming down, down, down, until it drools over his shaft and unholy fuck if Swiss doesn't get off this fucking stage soon he swears he's gonna rip his own heart out.

Swiss laps at the cut, until the pain becomes too intense, until he simply can't take anymore, and there's an odd calm about him as he reaches out to rap a knuckle against one of Mountain's shields. To make sure he has his full attention.

Just for you.

He spits a mouthful of blood onto the plexiglass, and as Mountain loses his place entirely he can't help but grin.

Swiss hopes there's blood on his teeth when he does.

[uraharasandals]

more girl food just dropped, enjoy teehee

but yes, I got carried away with making Aventurine as slutty as possible (again) :D In all seriousness though, I really really think this man would look amazing in thigh highs and a skirt, no I do not make the rules

Ratio is slightly OOC here, but as always, they love bickering with each other until he loses his patience <3 oh, I also added more….lore detail after that trailer drop (which, like, wow Mihoyo that was amazing), but only slightly. Anyways, hope you enjoy the ride ;) The ending is a little ambiguous, so if anyone wants a sequel do let me know

pairing :: dr. ratio x aventurine word count :: 3.2k warnings :: r18/nsfw content (minors don't interact pls), unprotected sex, aventurine is a huge whore and wears 1) a skirt 2) a garter 3) thigh highs 4) panties 5) a plug, praise kink, subspace, overstimulation, bickering, bratting (aventurine is the brat), teasing, aftercare, mild ooc ratio, written before 2.0 update

DON'T PLAY WITH FIRE (I LOVE BEING BURNT)

Many people say Aventurine is beautiful. Or at the very least, pretty. Pretty is a good word, he thinks, because it's not so serious, not so heavy of a word as 'beautiful’, which seems to have an unhealthy association with tragedy. It's casual enough to toss around without any implications or baggage, and it rolls off the tongue easily enough too. Fitting for someone like him, who prefers no fuss, no baggage, no attachments, nothing. Just the glamour and blinding lights, completed with a splash of music, and the illusion is complete. So many sparkles that no one gets close enough to pick him apart or even try to analyse him, which works perfectly well. 

After all, when you're mesmerised by the exterior, why would you even think of the interior? 

But Ratio begs to differ. Perhaps Aventurine prefers it that way, and he would've complied and let him be, had he not been allowed a glimpse of…the other Aventurine. 

Equally as beautiful, luckily not associated with tragedy (at least, not collective tragedy - Ratio mourns the gradual loss of his rationality and control whenever he's around him), and best of all, vulnerable, bared, and compliant. 

Maybe not that suggestive, but what else should he say when the man is sitting on the table, all dressed up, flushed with anticipation and looking at him with hooded eyes?

He's surprised his mind is still intact. 

Ratio swallows as he closes the door behind him, kicking it shut as he drops his keys somewhere on the cabinets. Aventurine notices immediately - of course he does, that crafty bastard - and decides to cross his legs together, rubbing his thighs in an almost deliberate motion. 

And that's when he notices the lower half of his ensemble.

“What – ” Ratio finally finds his voice. “What in the name of Nous are you wearing?”

“Do you not like it?” Aventurine delicately uncrosses a leg and inspects the white stocking that hugs it, ending below the pleated end of the skirt that barely covers his thighs. He notices the man is wearing a corset too, a black one with golden embroidery and clasps that accentuates the curves of his waist, and it took all of his willpower not to reach out and pull at the golden ribbons that keep it together, to undo the white dress shirt that's deliberately unbuttoned to show the smooth expanse of his chest and collarbone. “I thought you had a thing for this.” 

Ratio frowns at this, mild annoyance replacing the flush of arousal running through his system just a moment earlier. “What do you mean by that?” He demands. “Are you suggesting I have…certain perverse tendencies?” 

The blonde chuckles, sliding off the table, the flutter of fabric offering a tantalising glimpse at what he couldn't have - yet. “Everyone has certain perverse tendencies, Veritas.” He hates how calm he sounds, as if he's a toddler in need of education. “They're called kinks.” Aventurine reaches up to cup his face, but he merely scowls. 

“I'm aware of what the term and concept is,” Ratio snaps back, irritated. “What I'm asking is, why – ”

“I know what you're asking.” This is punctuated by a small but firm pinch of his cheek (again, being treated as if he's in need of more braincells). “You're not letting me finish.”

“Speak any slower, and I'm not letting you finish,” Ratio mutters under his breath, but the blonde continues anyways, purposefully ignoring this. 

“As you know – ” Aventurine reaches out to grab his wrist, guiding his hand to his thigh, and Ratio resists the urge to squeeze, the soft and supple flesh fitting perfectly under his palm. “– I deal with people on a daily basis on this job. It demands a lot from you, you know, especially on the people reading front.” He muses, as if they were talking about the weather and he wasn't driving him crazy on purpose. “It's not hard to figure out your likes, your hates, your preferences…” He deliberately enunciates this. “You think you're so hard to read, Veritas.” He smirks up at him, trailing a finger down his jawline. “In fact, you're as open as a book.” Aventurine leans up, brushing his lips against the shell of his ear as he whispers into it. “You want to fuck me right here, don't you?” 

Ratio blinks, momentarily unnerved, before snapping out of it. “It doesn't take a genius to figure that out,” He retorts, painfully aware of the bulge in his pants. 

Aventurine laughs. “Maybe not, but it does take one to figure out how to get you so hot and bothered the moment you walk through the door.”

There is some truth in his statement, Ratio concedes – but his patience was running thin by listening to his yapping at this point, and honestly he just wanted to get on with it. Instead of replying, he leans forward and captures Aventurine's lips in a rough and almost bruising kiss, deciding to ignore the delighted sound that came out of his mouth whenever he pissed Ratio off enough to do whatever he wanted. Perhaps the blonde is an expert at reading people, Ratio thinks to himself as he carries him to the bedroom, lifting the petite man easily as he wraps those pretty legs around his waist. Or perhaps he just knows him better than he knows (and wants to admit to) himself.

Whatever the case was, Ratio decides to push all rational thought to the back of his mind as he pushes Aventurine down onto the sheets, capturing his lips in another passionate kiss. The blonde moans against his lips, tangling his fingers into his purple locks as he greedily devours his mouth. Ratio finally gives into temptation, sliding his hands down the curve of his waist and slipping under his skirt, groaning with satisfaction at finally being able to squeeze at his thighs and the silk of the stockings, unable to keep his hands off anymore. “Fuck…” He curses, dipping his head and licking at the exposed expanse of skin of his neck, breathing in his lover's scent. “I fucking hate you.” 

Aventurine chuckles, spreading his legs to give him more room to touch, to squeeze, to fondle – whatever he wants, and Ratio takes the offer, running his hands along the man's inner thighs, and he almost groans again. “Any particular reason why?” 

“You drive me crazy,” He mutters, reaching the apex of his thighs, before his eyes widen. “You – ” Ratio swallows, tries again. “Where did you get this stuff?” He fingers the black lace almost in awe, enjoying how it snaps back onto his skin so easily. Before he could toy with it again, the blonde's voice comes, sharp and sudden. 

“Don't ask questions you don't want answers to,” Aventurine says firmly, reaching out to lightly grip at his throat, a warning. Ratio takes the hint, deciding to push his legs further apart instead to expose the panties under his skirt, soaked with precum and tented by the obvious bulge underneath it. He reaches out to cup it, eliciting a small moan from the other man, who decides to retract his hand and use it to grip his bicep instead. “O - oh…” 

“Good?” He prompts, giving it another squeeze. 

“Stop teasing.” Aventurine frowns back, and Ratio raises an eyebrow at this. “Continue talking, and I'll leave you like this,” He snaps in return, pulling back completely. The blonde opens his mouth, likely to make another biting remark, but it's quickly replaced by a soft gasp as Ratio hooks his fingers onto the waistband of the black panties. “May I?” 

Aventurine nods, his cheeks flushed with anticipation as he lifts his legs, making it easier to pull them off. Gripping the back of Aventurine's thighs, he's rewarded with another soft gasp as he leans down until his face is next to his lover's cock, swollen with need and wet with precum. Ratio lets out a low groan of appreciation, pulling at the garter with his teeth, deliberately undoing the ribbon and sinking his teeth into the plumpness. “V - Veritas…”

“Patience.” Ratio pulls away, before bringing his cock closer so it's aligned with his lips, opening his mouth, taking the throbbing organ in, suckling and licking. Almost immediately, Aventurine bucks his hips forward, chasing the warmth of his mouth as a hand grips his hair, urging him on. 

In another situation, he would've been annoyed by the rough treatment, but Ratio could care less today with the almost sinful ensemble he was presented with, especially when Aventurine's stocking-clad thighs threaten to close around his head, and he's given the liberty to push them apart, and keep them apart. The blonde whines at this, his legs shaking with effort as Ratio continues to lick around the cock in his mouth, teasing more and more delightful noises out of him. Aventurine makes the mistake of looking down, eyes glazed over, and Ratio deliberately stares up at him underneath his eyelashes, grinning as he continues to suck, filling the room with wet sloppy noises.

“Fuuck…” Aventurine whines, thrusting his hips forward into Ratio's mouth, who grazes his cock with his teeth as a warning. He whines again, nods, and stays still as his lover continues to sick him off, closing his eyes as he gasps. “I - I'm close, Veritas, please – ”

With a slick pop, Ratio lets go of his cock, leaning up to kiss Aventurine before another frustrated whine could escape his lips. Pushing the blonde down on the pillows, he slides a finger down to his puckered hole, about to push in when it comes into contact with something solid. 

“What the fuck.”

“I got too desperate,” He explains, punctuated by a pout.

“I can see that,” Ratio returns, voice half clouded in disbelief and half in amazement. He tests the silicone toy, twisting it around tentatively before pulling the plug out altogether, slick sounds accompanying its removal until Aventurine's hole clenches around nothing. “No prep then, I take it?”

“You're too big, Veritas,” He retorts, easing his legs up for better access.

“Stop being a baby,” Ratio snaps back, but nonetheless reaches for the bottle of lube on their nightstand, pouring a generous amount on his fingers before sliding them in gently, until he gets three in. The blonde squirms under his touch, gasping when Ratio's digits find the spot that makes him roll his eyes back in pleasure. “Good?” 

“The real thing would feel better though.” He rolls his eyes at the words, withdrawing his fingers and using the slick to pump his own cock. When Aventurine deems him too slow, he lets out another whine.”Hurry up.” 

“I'm getting there, princess,” Ratio scoffs, before aligning his cock to the puckered hole. With one snap of his hips, he buried himself to the hilt, hips aligned with the other's, groaning as Aventurine's tight heat engulfs him. “Better?” 

“More…” The blonde bites down on his bottom lip, eyes flickered up to meet his pleadingly. Ratio's Adam apple bobs as he swallows, the expression causing something to stir inside of him now that he's buried in him, Aventurine clearly starting to lose himself in the pleasure. “Please, Veritas?”

Ratio sighs, unable to deny him, not when he's begging. “You're lucky you're beautiful,” He mutters, hooking a hand around the man's thigh, pulling it up to angle himself better. His other hand grips the fabric of the skirt, bunching it up, bracing himself before he slams back into the welcoming heat. Aventurine gasps at the sudden impact, moaning loudly as Ratio continues to hit that particular spot inside of him repeatedly, fucking into him almost violently. “N - not beautiful,” He manages to choke out as he grabs the man's broad shoulders, holding on for dear life. “Pretty.” 

“Pretty,” He echoes, rolling the word on his tongue while continuing to thrust into him. “You want me to call you pretty?” Aventurine nods, frantically. “Look at you,” He croons, an almost cruel smirk twisting his lips, enjoying the sight of the man being taken apart underneath him. “Such a pretty little thing when you're not running your mouth, bratting at me.” The blonde could only moan in response as his prostate is repeatedly stimulated, and Ratio groans, removing his hand to start stroking his cock instead, which twitches under his touch. “Right, princess?” 

“M - more…” He gasps, slurring his words as saliva floods his mouth from moaning. Ratio leans forward, kissing it away from the corner of his lips. “Please, Veritas…”

The scholar groans again at this. “You'll be the death of me,” He mutters, snapping his hips deeper into Aventurine's wet warmth, using him. The blonde's teal eyes glaze over at his words, his mouth hanging open as moans continue to escape from him, lost in the pleasure. Overcame by the sight, Ratio crashes his lips against his, increasing his pace until it's almost brutal, coaxing more and more lewd noises from Aventurine. 

“V - Veritas, I'm close – ” He gasps loudly. “Don't stop - please don't stop - ”

“Not going to,” Ratio pants, continuing to stroke his cock. “Come on, cum for me…” He mutters almost obsessively, intent on making the blonde come apart under his hands.

“V - Veritas - ” Aventurine whimpers, squeezing his eyes shut as he climaxes. Ratio watches, almost mesmerised as his hips buck wildly, cum spurting out of his cock and painting his stomach a messy white. “O - oh, shit – ”

He waits until Aventurine's breathing somewhat evens out, before resuming the ruthless pace he'd initially set, slamming his cock against his sore prostate repeatedly. Aventurine's eyes widen at the sudden stimulation, running sharp and painful through his veins after the initial orgasm. “V - Veritas, wait, what are you - ”

“Did you think you could get away with bratting so easily?” Ratio asks, soft and dangerous, contrasting with the pace he set. “Your actions have consequences. Dressing up like this…” He grunts as he slams it back in, using Aventurine's hole as a makeshift cocksheath. “Did you really think I'd do nothing more?” 

“B - but – ”

“No buts,” He commands, wrapping a hand around his cock again, making the blonde wince at the added pressure. “Take it, Aventurine.” 

The blonde shivers at the tone of his voice, his cock twitching at Ratio's dominance as he squirms on the bed, but a knee shoved roughly on top of his own stopped it. Tears start prickling at Aventurine's eyes as he's being ruthlessly fucked, used as a means to do nothing but chase Ratio's own climax. “Nghnn…” He squeezes his eyes shut, clearly overwhelmed by the onslaught of pleasure. Momentarily softening (but continuing his pace), Ratio leans up and kisses the moisture away. “Hold on, Aventurine” He pants. “You're doing well.”

The blonde nods, flushed with arousal. “I - I will…”

“Good boy,” He plants another kiss on his temple, largely contrasting with the pace he's driving his cock in and out of him, wet lewd noises filling the room. “I'm close,” He promises, watching with satisfaction as Aventurine nods again. 

Sweat drips down Ratio's forehead as he continues to fuck into his hole, the tightness gradually driving him wild until he feels like nothing but an animal in rut. With a loud groan, he slams his cock deep into Aventurine as he cums, moaning into his neck as he fills the man up. For a split second, he wonders briefly whether he could make the other man pregnant – until logic prevails and he mentally smacks himself. Still, the idea is not without allure. He's briefly aware of how Aventurine is shaking uncontrollably, his cock still spurting pathetic amounts of cum, clearly tethered on the edge of being overwhelmed.  

With a small groan, Ratio pushes himself up, and runs a hand down Aventurine's cheek gently, pulling him close for a kiss, as soft as he can possibly make it. A lack of response alerts him to something being wrong, and the scholar pulls away, frowning slightly. “Aventurine?” 

The usage of his name briefly clears the cloudiness of his eyes, but only enough to urge him to cling to his body, still shivering. “Aventurine,” Ratio calls again, with an edge of urgency. “Look at me.” He gently tilts his chin up, meeting the glazed over teal with his amber. “It's alright now,” He murmurs. “You can relax.” Leaning his chin on Aventurine's shoulder, he wraps his arms around the smaller man's waist, tracing gentle circles on the small of his back. “Come back to me, Aventurine.” 

When there's still minimal response, he sighs, and buries his nose into the man's neck, nosing into the skin, whispering his real name into his ear, only revealed to him and under the cover of darkness in a night spent together. Gradually, the blonde came to, a low groan of pain escaping his throat. “H - hurts…”

“I pushed you too hard, did I?” Ratio murmurs in regret, kissing the top of Aventurine's head, earning a tired chuckle in return. “I've had worse.”

Ratio doesn't respond for a moment, focusing on making sure the blond knows that he's safe and taken care of. Despite the harsh exteriors they both present, especially towards each other, there's still an underlying understanding of how deep their relationship runs. At least, that's what Ratio hopes, given by how Aventurine always comes back to his arms at the end of the day. With that thought, he decided to tilt the other man's chin up for another kiss, surprisingly slow and gentle, the shiver running down Ratio's spine more delicious than when fucking Aventurine until he was squirming on the bed.

“Next time, you know what to expect when you put on something like that,” Ratio says gruffly instead, biting on Aventurine's neck possessively, earning another breathless chuckle from him. “Don't play with fire – it's dangerous.”

Instead of heeding his warning, Aventurine merely laughs, a sharp sound contrasting the cosy atmosphere cocooning them. “But I love being burnt,” He murmurs back, flipping their positions easily. As Ratio's back hits the bed, his eyes widen when Aventurine grins down at him, a wild look in the teal. “Now, my turn.” 

[softantlers]

3. What was the last thing you looked up for a fic?

4. Do you save your cut scenes? (Sharesies...?)

21. Something no one has caught about your fics?

39. Preferred writing snack/drink?

<3

thank you for humoring meeee <333

3. what was the last thing you looked up for a fic? for the last chapter of crown, i looked up the heaven's gate movement! specifically, i wanted to jog my memory about the comet that they fixated on. (weirdly, it was visible for 18 months over 1996-1997, which sort of tracks with the yj's stint in the wilderness.)

anyways, it was interesting realizing that the heaven's gate mass suicide would have also happened while the yj's were in the wilderness, but also that it's not outside the realm of possibility the yj's would know of heaven's gate as an eccentric cultural phenomenon. so, i had a fun time giving nat a line about lottie's "heaven's gate quackery" with the implication that she sees it as strange but harmless because she literally won't know the horrifying outcome of that group until after they're rescued.

4. do you save your cut scenes? (sharesies...?) i'm not sure i have any cut scenes to be honest! i usually have a general plan of what to write, and it gets written & basically everything stays in the final cut, even if it gets edited down a bit.

21. something no one has caught about your fics? tough to say because ao3 doesn't always have a ton of interaction (sighs at low engagement era) so i'm not sure if things are missed. but i like sliding some sneaky little lines into my fics. two of my favorites:

Feeling awkward, Natalie gave a nod to the gathered group as she shouldered an extra backpack and the rifle. Thankfully, no one had the gall to complain when she took the gun. They would be feeding on the elk for a good while and she was the hunter. Besides, Travis was getting a lot better at laying traps for small game to conserve bullets.

--

Then, Natalie was asking, “How did you know this was here?” Her voice had a quiet and rare tenderness that Lottie was beginning to realize meant she wanted an honest answer—no matter what it was. Feeling self-conscious, Lottie cleared her throat. “There was a path… In my head. I followed it.” “Like the Yellow Brick Road?” chuckled Nat, eyes on the fire. “It was purple… I mean, I guess it was more heliotrope?” Lottie winced at herself, sure she sounded like an idiot.

39. preferred writing snack/drink? cheese and crackers uwu & like maybe some fuckass juice or hard cider teehee.

[ao3feed-zukka]

harsh words and golden eyes

Read now on Ao3 at https://ift.tt/BL5MrUD by sp1dermanfan A casualty of war isn't always a death. Sometimes it's a very unfortunate birth. Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe is a born traitor, as the village says, with his golden eyes and fiery powers. Mistreated his whole life, when he is exposed to the rest of the world in this terrible war, what will he do? Between the strangely comforting presence of his "enemy" Zuko, and every person he meets instant dislike for him, the answer may be obvious. ||updates once or twice a month|| Words: 1105, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen, M/M Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Kanna (Avatar), Hakoda (Avatar), Kya (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Zuko's Crew (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Appa (Avatar), Bato (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Azula (Avatar) Relationships: Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Hakoda & Katara & Kya & Sokka (Avatar), Kya & Sokka (Avatar), Hakoda & Sokka (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Sokka & Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: implications of rape, Racism, Firebender Sokka (Avatar), Hurt Sokka (Avatar), POV Sokka (Avatar), Eventual Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Protective Zuko (Avatar), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, 100 Year War (Avatar TV), Fire Nation (Avatar), Firebending & Firebenders, Trauma, Fake slurs, Betrayal, Relapsing, not in a drug way, like in a book 2 Zuko way, Mental Instability, Sokka-centric (Avatar), no beta we die like my mental health, Angst, by the way., if you couldn't tell., Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Lightningbending & Lightningbenders (Avatar), teehee, Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mild Language Read it on Ao3 at https://ift.tt/BL5MrUD

[mekatrio]

teehee 🤭

like vg fans of any franchise have always been insufferable but zelda fans are unique in their stubborn and long-standing belief of a 'canon timeline' that the developers has disregarded over and over again, and yet they still rever it, making themselves unpleasable and inaccessible to both developers and newer fans who dont know what tf these old fans are talking about. like its insane how when u open up almost any page on the zelda wiki u get smacked in the face with a massive header denoting whether any of this information is [CANON] or [NON-CANON] or [AMBIGUOUSLY CANON]. like wtf? cuz this is all shit that fans made up, the zelda community has just arbitrarily decided what is or isnt canon, what does or doesnt matter 'in the grand scheme of things'. nevermind the fact that developers have stated again and again that they dont give a shit abt an overarching narrative. like theyve been throwing shit at the wall all the way back w twilight princess messing up the oot -> zelda i -> zelda ii chronology, like they never gave a fuckkkkk. and nintendo only pretended to care with hyrule historia bc this franchise was heading down the gutter with the failure of the wiiu, aided by the fact that the DS zelda titles were utter flops bc surprise surprise, not giving a shit abt accessibility while also installing a rigid anti-piracy during the DS's golden age of piracy ended up biting you in the ass (ST and PH being some of the lowest selling zelda titles despite debuting on nintendo's best selling console lmao!) but yes they only pretended to Seriously Care abt the timeline bc they needed the cash, hyrule historia was just a skyward sword artbook in the end AND ALSO THEY STATE THEMSELVES NOT TO TAKE THEIR INTEPRETATION AT FACE VALUE, SMTH FANS LOVEEE TO IGNORE, and ultimately nintendo showed how little they cared abt this timeline they put out by chucking it out entirely when they made botw. lol!

but still fans cling to this false idea of a timeline and an overarching narrative viciously bc if theres something that zelda fans love to do, its believing in shit that isnt fucking there! all while ignoring whats actually there! like how when botw put out an insanely misogynistic, racist, and transphobic segment where you have to sneak into gerudo town, fans fucking lauded it as a win for 'queer' representation! or how fans love to constantly cling to that old as hell aonuma quote abt how oot link was 'intended to be neither male or female' to go on and on abt how link is non-binary representation, when in actuality oot link was based off leonardo di caprio and also, throughout 35+ years of existence, link has never had any sort of character customization in the slightest! link isnt non-binary, youre just a westerner who doesnt understand what bishounens are! constantly applauding the zelda team and nintendo for shit that doesnt exist while completely ignoring the bigotry that does exist, like how zelda fans entirely ignored anyone who pointed out how fucking weird it is that riju, A CHILD, is dressed up in such revealing clothes, while they draw a million fanarts of 'rehydrated ganon' and why? because he's brown and foreign! nevermind that hes literally rotting skin and bones, just the idea of a brown muscular man is enough for you to lose any shame! and ignoring any fans who have said tetra's random whitewashing is weird and racist, or any fans who say the botw male gerudo armor is fucking orientalist, while other fans will draw ganondorf or demise like fucking racist animal-like caricatures. also ignoring the fact that oot's fire temple theme used to have an actual muslim chant in it! zelda fans who will spend days and nights poring over non-existent story implications will ignore ALLLL of this, and act like it doesnt exist, and give any fans who point it out a bunch of shit! all while they continue making up a timeline and lore that doesnt exist!

so im so happy that these fans are being treated the way they deserved and all this 'lore' they rever so much is getting thrown tf away! i hope it continues getting thrown away! i hope every future zelda game is a sandbox with the shittiest dungeons, and i hope epona gets replaced by a honda civic! i hope your beloved medieval setting gets fucked over and you have seven sewer levels! i hope we never get a fishing minigame again, and i hope you keep getting 'queerbaited' like you were with sidon, over and over again like fucking charlie brown and his football! i hope you never get to play as zelda in a zelda title, you dont fucking deserve it! I HOPE ZELDA FANS ARE UNHAPPY FOREVER AND EVERRRRRR <3

I LOVE IT WHEN ZELDA FANS ARE UNHAPPY! I HOPE YOU ARE UNHAPPY FOREVERRRRR

[kissingagrumpygiant]

Well now I have to ask about Iseuda because she's sooooooo 😳 and you've left the door wide open for me to invite her in

Well teehee. She will enter 🦇🧛‍♀���

Iseuda is a noble from Starkhaven, born to a highly religious family with deep and close ties to the Chantry. And because of those ties, they simply would not accept that their daughter was born a mage. Simply could not be. Why would the Maker punish and shame us like that. So they would simply ignore it, while attempting every method to "cure" her without templar involvement.

Well, eventually, that just isn't feasible anymore. In her teens, she just cannot control her magic abilities, and Iseuda is pulled from her already limited public life, and rumors are spreading. With the help of a high ranking Templar and close childhood friend of Iseuda's mother, they fake documents of Iseuda being sent to become a lay-Sister in a Chantry in Orlais to explain her absence without risking their reputation. In reality, Iseuda is actually locked away in the family estate's attic, with the Templar creating special wards to subdue her magic and connection to the fade. The family puts her off their minds, and the Templar is the only man Iseuda has any contact with and who takes care of her for the next 4-5 years

Eventually, Iseuda's despair is strong enough to garner the attention of a very powerful Hunger demon, who manages to slip between the wards. Together, the demon and Iseuda hatch a plan to take revenge on her family, and Iseuda becomes an abomination

Iseuda manages to get the Templar under her thumb, appealing to his unrequited pining (and obsession tbh) with her mother and Iseuda's obvious likeness to her. When his guard is down, and he begins to take apart the wards, Iseuda attacks and fatally wounds him. She doesn't kill him, but slowly feeds off his mana for the following week to gain strength and lives in the walls of the house for the duration

Iseuda plants fake evidence in the appropriate places to implicate the now-dead Templar, and sets the entire estate on fire. In the chaos of the family trying to escape, Iseuda personally "takes care" of them, and slips into the night.

Well, being the only surviving member of the Courbis family and only heir, she makes the grueling and oh so long journey back from her lay-Sister duties in Orlais back to Starkhaven and rebuilds the estate after the tragic murder of her family. so sad. 

She quickly garners sympathy and help from the rest of the noble class of Starkhaven, and even becomes a close ally of the ruling Vael family for her good Andrastian nature, and her donations to the Chantry and care of their Templars. So what if every now and then she takes a bite of one for their potent mana. No one needs to know

When the Vael family massacre happens, Iseuda decides its best not to stick around, and claims her former Chantry in Orlais has requested her financial aid and close eye. She moves to Orlais and cements her position there

Now days she's known for hosting large fundraising galas (and every party is a masquerade party in orlais), which she turns into her private hunting grounds. She even managed to score herself an invitation to the winter palace :) <3

[mothwithapencil]

for the character bingo: ghetsis or colress >:)

This man. I have problems about him. I love him. One of the most complex villains EVAR and so many absolutely tragic implications about his past.... I love putting him under the microscope and picking at him with tweezers. Is he a shtty horrible guy ? Yes. Is he also his own person who deserves to heal from his own trauma? Also yes. He. If N can still care about him and have hope for him (he does canonically) then so can I... Dont get me started on projection. Dear god

EL FUCKER LYING LITTLE RAT BASTARD I BITE HIM I CHEW HIM i project some of my disorders onto him i think about him constantly I TOSS HIM INTO THE FIRES OF HELL i only filled in "didn't get bullied enough" because i think its funny to see him get pissed off HE WILL STAB YOU IN THE BACK AND RUN FROM THE COPS AND HE WILL FACE NO CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE HE SAYS ^_^ teehee actually I'm a good guy as of 3 minutes ago so I'll be going now I HOPE HE EXPLODES

[mobiused]

the immediate implications would be that the ritual in ptt is actually OH transforming into the black hole and starting anew. this would also mean KL isn't so much a time traveler with powers to rewind/scrub time but rather someone who can withstand going through a black hole and retain information. there is wiggle room here considering the lipsoul/tenet theory but i think this is a compelling reasoning as to why OH has to fulfill the role of fenrir/the destroyer and how the loop works 2/5

but im a big believer in OH being an allegory for girlhood and monstrosity and i think the most compelling thing about her is her duty towards eden, her yearning for love in the girls, and how her grief and wrath is fueled by both of these. so im wondering, to reconcile this concept and angels' lack of will, if she became a fallen angel BECAUSE of that inner conflict? an angel straying from axiom. but in feeling that reluctance and seeking that love she loses favor with eden and is alone 3/5

and so maybe in that loneliness she STILL goes through with that destruction, limping along her former axiom in a bid to regain angelhood. whether she rejects HJ's attempts at friendship or realizes divine love has been in front of her the whole time depends on the loop. BUT in the axiom post the divine urge to create is described as "the void". and that's EXACTLY what HJ and OH are. OH isn't wrath or cleansing fire. OH is the force that lets HJ delight in the act of creation over and over 4/5

OH is HJ's subconscious self-love. egoist goes both ways. HJ allows herself the indulgence of creation and OH understands that her destined path of destruction IS love. she wasn't denied god's love or running away from it she IS the love. anyway i think the final loop will entail HJ and OH renouncing god/angel-hood and having one final perfect iteration as humans with ot12. it all comes down to love! 5/5 hope you find this compelling, would love to hear your thoughts bc i feel like i've been going insane -🐯

I have terrible news. I never got your first ask. So I feel like this is kinda more disjointed than it woulda been.

The werewolf as allegory for female puberty is a good theme, and good commentary on how society views it, dealt with iconically in Ginger Snaps which I assume probably had some influence at least in a very small capacity, knowing the director's interest in teen flicks. Lip's affiliation with casettes, which are powered by magnets, came to mind when you mentioned 'scrubbing' time, but I don't think 'withstanding' a black hole and Lip's time powers (IMO she can't time travel conventionally, she exploits her superspeed to circumnavigate(?) the flow of time). I personally don't really like yyxy girls/Olivia as angels but I see what you mean. I do like the good end/bad end ideas for the timelines though. (Also this OH/HJ thing links with my homestuck view of Olivia being Lord/epitome of active vs Heeijn being Muse/epitome of passive teehee) Though that last part, I kinda prefer interpreting Egoist as accusing Yves of being the Egoist in question as opposed to Olivia identifying as one, despite the self-love theme... but I do think the notions of divine love and yin/yang is present in the work throughout, in OH/HJ's dynamic as well as 2jin and hyewon and really all over. But ya it really does all come down to love ^__^

[imagineproduce101]

Passion Ch. 7

*previously titled ‘Can’t Remember to Forget You*

Ever since you accidentally spilled your lunch on Im Youngmin, the popular chaebol senior with money and fame, he’s seemed to hate you. However, when some odd photos of the two of you arguing appear in a tabloid, he has a solution as to how you can make up for it– pretend to be his girlfriend.

high school au + fake dating au

same universe/basic timeline as let me love you

ch one | ch 6 | ch 8

As summer officially started, you found yourself going on a number of dates with Youngmin—fake date, of course. You’d gone to different restaurants around the city, gone on a group date with a few of Youngmin’s friends, and taken Daehwi to the zoo. Through it all, you realized that Youngmin wasn’t a shitty person on the inside, he just tried to act like a shitty person, and that was something that you still didn’t understand, nor was it something that you were planning on excusing him for.

The group date with Youngmin’s friends had, unsurprisingly, been a trainwreck. His friends were loud, obnoxious, and you could tell that Youngmin was getting more and more irritated at their crass remarks.

Taking Daehwi to the zoo was a much more pleasant affair. Daehwi, of course, was delighted to go somewhere with the two of you, skipping happily as he clutched onto both of your hands. It was nice to get an afternoon off of dancing and working in the grocery store, and Daehwi’s wide smiles and gasps at the various animals made it even better.

Youngmin was also starting his internship soon. Surprisingly enough, he didn’t talk very much about it. You had been sitting at an outdoor table at the zoo, across from Youngmin, when you brought it up.

“So, when does your internship start?” You asked casually, watching Daehwi jump down from a rather large rock.

Youngmin glanced over at you, and then back down at the frozen yogurt cup he had been holding for Daehwi. “Couple days, actually.”

Your lips curled up into a half-smile, surprised at yourself for even caring. What had this world come to? “You nervous?”

“Nah,” Youngmin’s eyes darted over to you again, and you could tell he was lying. The two of you remained in silence for a little while longer, both of you knowing full well how worried he was. You didn’t have to hear from Youngmin about this internship; everyone from school was already talking about it. It was the Samsung internship, the one that streamlined high school graduates into management positions, or even higher.

Knowing how important and nervewracking the internship was, you were surprised to hear from Nayoung that Youngmin’s parents were leaving for a business trip to Japan the weekend before he started. Then again, you weren’t really that surprised.

As you settled down to get some sleep before an early shift in the grocery store, you glanced over at your phone.

To: im ym

Good luck tmrw

With a sigh, knowing you’d done the right thing, you rolled over.

You hadn’t even closed your eyes for a few seconds before your cell phone started ringing. Without checking the caller ID, you held the phone up to your ear.

“Yes?”

“(y/n),” Youngmin said breathlessly, “(y/n), it’s, it’s Daehwi, he, he—“

“Woah, Youngmin,” you sat up in bed, alarmed at Youngmin’s voice. You don’t think you’d ever heard the boy so distraught. “Take a deep breath and then tell me.” You heard Youngmin take in a shaky breath.

“It’s Daehwi,” Youngmin repeated, “he, he has a fever, and says his stomach hurts, and that he might throw up, and (y/n), I have no idea what to do, my step-mom isn’t here, and I’m at home by myself, and Daehwi won’t stop crying.”

“Hey, Youngmin, it’s gonna be okay,” you said quickly, keeping your phone to your ear as you clambered out of bed, yanking a few things into a large bag that had been lying on your floor, “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, (y/n),” Youngmin sighed, “I should get back to Daehwi.”

“Deep breaths, Youngmin,” you reminded him, “if you feel like you’re getting panicky, call me again, okay?”

“Yeah,” Youngmin replied. You could just imagine him nodding, and you shook your head. You were moving so quickly to get some flu and cough medication into your bag, along with a change of clothes that you didn’t have time to think fully about the situations, or its implications. You dashed out of your house, hurriedly flagging down a taxi.

When you finally arrived at Youngmin’s house, you could faintly hear Daehwi’s sobs.

“He’s miserable, (y/n),” Youngmin whispered, looking down at you with a pained expression, looking just as miserable. You nodded, following Youngmin into Daehwi’s room.

“Hey, Daehwi,” you smiled, going to carefully push the hair out of Daehwi’s eyes. He definitely had a fever, if his burning forehead and flushed cheeks said anything.

“Noona?” Daehwi peered up at you, sniffling, “I feel like I’m on fire, noona, can you make it go away? My stomach really hurts too.”

“Do you feel like you might throw up still?” You asked, concerned. It sounded like he might have caught the flu. Daehwi nodded, whimpering. “Okay, I’m going to give you some flu medicine, if that’s okay with you? It’s just for kids, so the dosage will be alright.”

You looked at Youngmin, just to make sure that he was alright with it as well.

“I know how to swallow pills,” Daehwi said, still trying to make you and Youngmin proud, even though he was sick. Youngmin grinned, having appeared with a glass of water. Daehwi gulped down the medicine, wincing at the taste of it, before curling up underneath his blanket.

“It’ll start working in about 20 minutes,” you told the small boy, who nodded sleepily.

“Do you want some tea or anything? Some soup?” You asked, ruffling Daehwi’s hair.

“Some tea, if it’s not a trouble,” Daehwi murmured, clearly close to sleep. You nodded, getting up. Youngmin and you headed to the kitchen.

As you started boiling some water, you realized something, turning away from the stove suddenly

“Hey Youngmin—“

Your eyes widened as your body nearly slammed into Youngmin’s. He’d been walking towards you to hand you a tea bag, and as you narrowly missed crashing into him, his arm darted out to steady you, hand firm on your waist. The two of you stood there, your eyes wide as you realized just how close your body was to his. You could feel the warmth radiating off of him, and was acutely aware of the sharp inhale of his breath.

“Careful,” Youngmin murmured, before gently placing the teabag into your hand. As you turned to make a cup of tea, you couldn’t help but notice how cold you felt.

Silently, you finished up the cup of tea and hurried into Daehwi’s room. He had already fallen asleep, breathing peacefully, and you smiled at the sight, setting the mug down on his nightstand. When you went back to the kitchen, Youngmin was pulling the rice cooker out from underneath the sink, yawning.

“Wait, Youngmin,” you called, frowning, “isn’t tomorrow the first day of your internship?”

Youngmin looked over at you in confusion, “yeah, why?”

“Youngmin, it’s already midnight,” you exclaimed, taking the rice cooker from him, “you should go to sleep, really. I can make you something quick for lunch, but you should get rest for your big day.”

Youngmin stared at you for a few more seconds, the heavy look that made your stomach turn with a strange feeling. Finally, he sighed, a small smile dancing on his lips before trudging off to the bathroom.

You started on making the rice, thinking over everything that had happened that night. You tried to assure yourself that the reason you’d raced to the Im household so quickly was for Daehwi’s sake, but a small part of you knew that it had something to do with the tinge of desperation in Youngmin’s voice when he had called you.

“(y/n).”

You looked up at the sound of your name, and that same weird tug in your stomach made you feel like you’d just run three miles uphill. Youngmin was in a loose t-shirt and sweats, hair damp from a quick shower. He shot you a smile, holding up a new toothbrush package.

“Thank you, for everything,” he said quietly as you picked up the toothbrush up, murmuring a quiet thanks. “I-I know that things have a bit strange lately, but I really appreciate it.” You ducked your head, trying to hide your quickly reddening cheeks. It was that damn stare of his, the quiet, weighted one, that always seemed to make you blush.

“It’s—“ you cleared your throat, cheeks reddening even more. Youngmin’s lips twitched up into a tiny grin. “It’s no trouble, don’t worry about it.”

Youngmin paused, looking at you for a beat more before smiling fully, “good night, (y/n).”

“Night, Youngmin.”

teehee are those feelings i see being caught hmmm

im on winter break i will rise and finally write! also maybe if the gods are willing i will finish this damn story before the new year. 

[asksythe]

FtGoG Snippet: Mouse sees the Wind fall - part 1

The walk back is quiet. Their Kazekage doesn’t speak, and the Miko too, is silent. Mouse and Eagle shadow them, with Diamondback hanging a ways away. There is a tension between them, something big and thorny and too complicated for either to broach the topic right now. Mouse sees Eagle sign with his hand from the corner of his eyes.

Calm before the storm?

Mouse has no idea. Despite all the ill omens he has been spewing regarding the unlikely and in poor taste relationship between their Kazekage and a girl half his age, the Miko is anything but predictable. And even in the worst case… well… despite that he doesn’t think their relationship will last, he doesn’t exactly wish for it to end in such… spectacular fashion either. Despite what he thinks about the Miko and her influence not only on their Kage but the village as a whole, there is no denying what she means to the village’s future and no denying the fact that a Kage in a happy relationship is far easier to work under than one that is not.

Think the missus is going to dump him? Eagle signs again. Hey, talk to me, Mousey. Aren’t you the guy who’s been saying this is going to end in tears? Now, it’s playing as you said it would, and I’m getting real anxious here. She’s so quiet. She’s rarely this quiet.    

Mouse thinks hard about it, about the implication of that relationship going up in a plume of fire, the fallout of that. An angry Kazekage is already hard enough, but an angry Miko? The last time she lost her temper--for a definition of lost anyhow--she incited a revolt. He thinks of all the people that depend on her now, the hundred thousands of them… no, the millions of them. Suddenly he doesn’t feel very good about having his forecasts be proven right anymore.

They reach the Kage building without incident and without a single word being exchanged between them. She comes into his office for next week’s schedule while her bodyguards stand outside, probably heedful of the coming ‘storm’ between their charges. The lucky bitches, thinks Mouse as he and Eagle slinks in the rafters and into the office itself. They get to flee in the face of the greatest peril of long-term bodyguarding missions--awkwardly witnessing their charge’s domestic troubles while desperately pretending that they were invisible. Mouse, Eagle, and Diamondback have no such luck however.

This is going to end in tears, Mouse says with his fingers. Nobody is going to walk out of this looking pretty, least of all us three stooges. He says again. I fucking told you so!

We heard you the first time, Mouse-san. Diamondback signals back as it settles into a shadowed alcove opposite of him. Repetition of the same claim does not make it factual.

Just as it says this line with a crooked pinky and thumb, the showdown begins. Their Kage wordlessly hands the paper schedule to his Miko. She turns to leave. But he stops her with a one-word question.

“Why?”

She turns around, looks at him.

“Why what?”

“Why did you come with me to see the widow? Why did you apologize?”

“You mean aside from the fact that her only son died because of me?” Her voice raises a little, and she spears him with a look. In the background, Mouse mourns his last hope of getting out of this without having to bear witness to a lover’s quarrel that promises to be spectacular in all the wrong ways.  

“I am the one who killed that child,” replies lord Kazekage. “You just sat there and watched.”

“So, you admit it. He’s a child.” There is a vicious triumph in her voice.

“He’s a soldier of the state.”

“A child soldier you mean.” she parries right back. “He was thirteen years old.”

Which means a whole lot less to ninja than to her, Mouse thinks. But it’s not like they haven’t seen this problem coming a mile away. The Miko is a consummate pacifist, despite living in a hidden village. While she understands the need to accept the law of her new home, she also has never had to confront the fact in such fashion.

Lord Kazekage pauses for a second, regards her with an intense look as if a stern teacher looking at a belligerent student.  

“We talked about this,” he says finally. Mouse hears the weight in his voice, an answer to her accusation. “But if you insist, yes, the boy is a child soldier. In fact, there are over thirty thousand child soldiers like him in this village, including my children.”

She flinches, as if just now remembering something distasteful. He’s not done however.

“That’s not all. Every single adult soldier in this village starts out as one of them, including I, and everyone else who came before me, and everyone else who will come after me. This is not unique to our village. This is true with every other hidden village out there. But you know what else is true?” He leans a little bit closer, as if making a point. “Not a one of them is forced into service. It is their choice to serve, just as it is your choice to stay and make a life here. You don’t get to make light of their choice just because it doesn’t agree with your world view.”

She looks down, as if chagrined. Perhaps it is different from her perspective, but from the perspective of a ninja, this whole thing didn’t have to happen. The Kazekage’s expression softens somewhat at the sight of her.

“You cannot ask an entire society to change the way they live just because it doesn’t fit your view on how the world should operate, Kagome. Perhaps it is different in your old home, but you chose us. You chose this village. Now, you must accept us, and make the best with what you have.”    

He’s handling this very well, Mouse thinks. In all of his service, he hasn’t ever heard lord Kazekage sounding like this, like he’s almost… gentle. But then again, the opponent is his woman. Anyhow, this uncharacteristic gentleness is proving effective. She has gone quiet now and seems to be contemplating something. Mouse holds out hope that this night isn’t going to become the domestic shit show he has feared. Just as he thinks this however, the Miko lets out a question that blows his hope to kingdom come.  

“How many people have you killed?”

She doesn’t even look up, just lances the air in the room with this chillingly delivered question. Eagle makes a sign beside Mouse. Mayday! Mayday! On his part, Mouse wonders if he should start sending out discreet distress signals to warn the outside team that shit is likely to go down soon. Lover’s quarrels among ninja have a way of blowing out of proportion. In this case, when one side is the literal strongest warrior of the village and the other side is a woman whose powers can casually bitchslap Bijus, little guys like Mouse best take precautions.  

Down below, lord Kazekage is momentarily frozen. But then it passes. He stands up straight. He’s not an especially tall man, but the Miko is petite, and so he towers over her. He spreads his hands in one motion, face dark with fury.

“Do you really want to hear the answer, my dear?” he says. Whatever warmth was in his voice has long since gone. “I will tell you what you don’t want to hear. You have been sharing your bed with a killer.”

She lets out a quiet gasp. Her right hand goes up to grip her left arm as if she is trying to steady herself.

“But you already know this. That day, I told you no, that this wouldn’t work, but you barged your way into my bed and into my life. You knew who I was then. You knew what I did. But you still asked for it, for this…”

He cups her chin with one hand, forces her to look at him.

“Do you regret this now? Do you condemn me now?”

There is a moment of breathless silence, the air choked with tension. Then, she puts her hands on his and pulls it away. Holding his eyes, she says.

“Seventeen million souls died by my hands.”

At that moment, the office is so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Mouse picks his jaws off the ground, turns to Eagle and signs.

What?

Because he needs to check whether he has heard that correctly or if by some freak chances he has been put under a genjutsu without even noticing it. Eagle looks back at him, just as askance. Across from them, Diamondback is still as a statue. Down below, an impossible conversation is playing out.

“...Probably” The Miko adds as an afterthought.

“Probably?” Lord Kazekage doesn’t even bother to hide the surprise from his voice… or his face.

“There were around seventeen million people… humans… on the island nation where I came from. When I was done, there was not a single person left alive. That island nation was separated from other countries by great seas that my power couldn’t reach through without some time so… probably.”

She looks out the window at the skies outside. It has turned dark then, with distant stars dotting the great black expanse. She turns back to him. There is a sadness in her eyes, a weariness that seems at odd with the youth of her face.   

“If there is a killer in the bed we share, then it isn’t you. So, no, I don’t condemn you. With what I did, I have no right to judge anyone, least of all the people who took me in when I had nothing.”

.................................

TBC in part 2

................................

A/N: I be dropping bombs left and right. Teehee!!!